http://driving.caThe leading online destination for the latest automotive news, reviews, photos and video for Canadians. Driving's team of award-winning journalists publishes original, fresh content in print, online, on smartphone and tablet.Sun, 02 Aug 2015 20:35:49 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/http://0.gravatar.com/blavatar/ee14d0ead2dd0785092fc06583853ed4?s=96&d=http%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.png » Drivinghttp://driving.caMuscle Memory: 1973 AMC Javelinhttp://driving.ca/auto-news/entertainment/muscle-memory-1973-amc-javelin/http://driving.ca/auto-news/entertainment/muscle-memory-1973-amc-javelin/#commentsSun, 02 Aug 2015 20:35:36 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=211186]]>VANCOUVER — Dean Bicknell may not be a trained mechanic, but the Aldergrove resident likes to tinker and uses the time in the garage to hang out with friends and family.

Bicknell has always been an auto enthusiast and has owned a number of interesting cars over the years. His first car was a 1974 AMC Javelin that he purchased at the age of 17, and in true teenager fashion he tortured that poor car with equal measures of haphazard modifications and aggressive driving.

“I collected a lot of speeding tickets in that car,” Bicknell admitted with a grin, “It was an almost weekly thing!”

That Javelin took a place in Dean’s heart, and although that car has long since found its way to the recycler, its memory lives on in the 1973 model that Bicknell’s brother Dave spotted on Craigslist.

“I have always liked the muscle car era, and have owned quite a few cars over the years, but I wanted to build a Javelin as it was the first car I ever owned,” he said, noting second generation Javelins are quite rare as they were only produced from 1971 to 1974. AMC wasn’t that large a company so didn’t make a lot of them during that period.”

“The car was tucked away in an underground parking facility in Tsawwassen, but was originally from New Westminster,” he continued. “The seller was asking $1,000, but I managed to acquire it for $800 along with a ton of extra parts. Almost two trailer loads in fact.”

Fortunately, Bicknell operates Sunnyside Self-Storage, a family business, so he knows a little about storing large quantities of stuff.

“I sat on the project for six months while I decided if I wanted to tackle the project, but I knew that it was a solid car and a really good deal and that I could always make a tidy profit by just selling the parts if I lost interest.

“I spent a lot of time at the auto wrecker when I was a teen looking for replacement parts for my first Javelin after usually breaking something the night before. That car wasn’t loaded like this one and only had the 304-cubic-inch motor, but it was a lot of fun. I basically destroyed that car over a five-year period. It had lots of Bondo in the rear quarters, and was largely falling apart on its own, but my teenage driving habits did not help. I eventually parted it out.”

Bicknell admits that while far from perfect, his current Javelin is in pretty good shape for a driver, the real reason he bought the car in the first place. He has made some minor modifications to the engine as he has his mind set on a particular performance goal.

“I don’t want to stray too far from the originality of the car under the hood, but I have a set of headers that I may install just to try out for a season or two. I want to take this car to the track in Mission, and see if I can get the car to run in the 13-second range for the quarter mile. I saw 99 miles per hour at the track one day, but would like to hit triple digits.”

The car has the original 360 cubic-inch, four-barrel V8 engine but in his quest to maximize performance it currently has an aluminum intake fitted and has been converted to high compression. On the dyno the car is producing 360-horsepower and 390 foot-pounds of torque.

“My goal has always been to restore the car to how it was when it left the factory,” confessed the 46-year-old, “so I plan to return it to original spec after I reach my speed goal at the track and have some fun with the car. I have all the parts to return it to how it was delivered.”

“I had a 1965 Mustang for awhile, and found that parts are so readily available for those pony cars that you could probably build a complete car from scratch. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the Javelin. Luckily this car was relatively complete when I got it, and most of the pieces were in good shape.”

Speaking of Mustangs, Bicknell says as AMC has been out of business for so long people tend to look at the Javelin with some confusion as they try to determine what it is. “I often get asked if it is a Mustang, and younger individuals usually have never seen a Javelin, let alone even heard of the model.”

Bicknell’s car has only 102,000 miles on the odometer as it sat for almost 20 years. It runs strong and is largely shake and rattle free as the hobby mechanic took meticulous care when rebuilding the car.

“We disassembled every nut and bolt, so the car has had wear and tear parts replaced and everything carefully inspected and for the most part, only original or NOS parts were used on the car. The only thing that is not AMC is the transmission, as the company sourced their three-speed automatics from Chrysler.”

He loves the car as it is now, but will continue to improve on it as he stumbles upon various parts and pieces.

“I have no intention of ever selling this car,” said Bicknell with a wide smile. “Other cars will come and go, but when you spend two years restoring a car, and at least the amount of money I would get back out of it should I offer it up for sale, I can’t see an upside. Besides, this car brings back great memories for me and allowed me to spend some valuable time with my brother Dave, who helped me out tremendously with the project.”

“I am the worst person I can be when I’m behind the wheel,” quips the comedian, describing his surprisingly negative reactions and profanity-laced outbursts when a driver cuts him off: “When you’re driving, that’s when you need to be the most compassionate and responsible … because you’re driving a weapon.”

It’s a hilarious rant that many drivers can relate to, either based on their own driving or others’. But real road rage is not funny and can sometimes have serious consequences.

We all get impatient occasionally, but taking it out on other drivers can land you in trouble. Police can charge road ragers with offences such as reckless driving, which can lead to fines and maybe even higher auto insurance rates. There’s also the potential of damaging vehicles, or worse, causing injury or death.

A California women was recently charged with murder in what police said was a road rage killing of a motorcyclist on a freeway. News reports allege she rammed her car into the back of the victim’s motorcycle and then drove over him.

There are also examples of serious road rage cases right here in Vancouver. Earlier this year, a man was reportedly arrested for allegedly punching another driver in a suspected case of road rage. The incident was captured on a dashboard camera and posted on YouTube, where it has since received about a half a million views. A video of another suspected road rage incident was also posted recently, where a driver appears to have been choked, according to news reports.

It’s hard to understand why some people get so angry behind the wheel. In his driving skit, Louis CK notes that people wouldn’t scream or throw a punch at someone who cut them off in an elevator.

What makes driving so supercharged? Psychology Today says some even-tempered people admit they can lose control of their emotions when they get behind the wheel.

“Their fuses get lit when they put their keys into their ignitions,” says the journal in an article on the psychology of road rage. “For some road ragers, it’s a need for control, to counter to other drivers who they feel violate their proxemic space, or their need for possession of their lane or their part of the road. For others, it’s unchecked anger and aggression.”

Regardless of the reason, it’s clear that road rage can be dangerous. The stress it causes is also bad for your health. The next time you are in your car and your temperature starts to rise, take a deep breath and don’t lose your cool over the acts of another driver. Chances are, it isn’t something worth getting worked up about.

Blair Qualey is President and CEO of the New Car Dealers Association of BC. You can email him at bqualey@newcardealers.ca.

It just slays me, the excuses I hear, and the driving I see concerning that old gal. Last month, I received an email from a loyal reader who instantly became my new best friend for life. Devon Webb, I’m in your corner.

Here’s what Devon wrote:

“John. I am writing this email to voice my contempt for truckers who straddle both lanes of the Pattullo Bridge.

“I want to point out that I personally have no issue with commercial trucks or their drivers. I do have a problem with what has quickly become the standard practice of using both lanes when they cross. They are not shy about it either, and do not show any concern for the traffic congestion they are personally causing.

“I will accept the physical fact that a B-train rig, on a curve, would have a plausible reason for straddling both lanes, but I now see all types of trucks engaging in this practise. I have seen “bob-tail” rigs, (no trailer attached- just the power unit), to single axle cube vans using both lanes. It appears as though they have made it their right to perpetuate this practise to the demise of the traffic flow.

The Pattullo Bridge, other than the recent addition of the yellow cones, which divide the north and south bound lanes, has not changed in years. (It opened for use in 1937). The lanes have no more, or no less width than they have had for the last 78 years. Yet, rigs in the recent past never seemed to have a need to straddle the lanes to make the crossing. Did rigs suddenly become twice as wide in the last two to three years? And yes. I still see a minority of rigs using one lanes to make the crossing.

“I therefore have to conclude that it is a culture of un-professionalism, and utter contempt for their fellow motorists that is the direct cause of this recent behaviour.

“I have friends who are commercial truck drivers. They agree with me, that those who use both lanes while crossing the Pattullo Bridge should have their Class 1 license taken away from them, if they cannot stay in their own one lane.”

Devon, I wish I could share with you the emails I have received from drivers who tried to justify their contempt for fellow bridge users, but my space is limited.

Fortunately, that old gal will soon be given a facelift, and shortly thereafter, replaced. I don’t follow that reasoning, but I’m not a politician. While the work is going on, all commercial trucking will be banned.

Personally, I think all rigs should be banned from the new and the current Pattullo Bridge between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. That would include me. I can adjust my schedule. But then, I am not now, nor have ever been, a lane straddler, so no problemo.

B.C. politicians finally passed a law, earlier this month, about hogging the left lane on highways. How about solving the growing practise of lane straddlers on the Pattullo?

It’s a “no-brainer” in my way of thinking. Maybe that’s the problem.

]]>http://driving.ca/auto-news/news/big-rigs-pattullo-bridge/feed/0NO DEADLINE DATE SUBMITTEDdrivinginfo2013Next-generation Volvo V40 coming to North Americahttp://driving.ca/volvo/auto-news/news/next-generation-volvo-v40-coming-to-north-america/http://driving.ca/volvo/auto-news/news/next-generation-volvo-v40-coming-to-north-america/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 16:48:33 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=215404]]>It’s been a while since we’ve seen a compact Volvo in North America, but that’s going to change in the next couple of years.

Speaking with Telegraaf(hat tip to Automobile Magazine), Volvo marketing chief Alain Visser says the redesigned V40 compact hatchback will be sold worldwide – including North America.

The outgoing model is underpinned by Ford’s C1 platform, but the next V40 will be based on a new platform architecture jointly-developed by Volvo and Geely, its Chinese parent company. Expect the upcoming V40 to wear a look similar to Volvo’s trio of concepts first seen in 2013. As for powertrains, the V40 will likely see Volvo’s suite of turbocharged three- and four-cylinder Drive-E engines under the hood.

]]>http://driving.ca/volvo/auto-news/news/next-generation-volvo-v40-coming-to-north-america/feed/0Volvo V40nicktragWomen at the Wheel: Dee Sjarifhttp://driving.ca/porsche/auto-news/news/women-at-the-wheel-dee-sjarif/http://driving.ca/porsche/auto-news/news/women-at-the-wheel-dee-sjarif/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 16:44:24 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=215164]]>VANCOUVER — The Porsche Centre Langley is one of the newest dealerships in the OpenRoad Auto Group’s expanding empire.

Edmonton native Dee Sjarif is the acting business manager of this stunning new facility and is very excited to be involved with such a prestigious brand.

While attending college in pursuit of an accounting degree, Sjarif got a part-time job at a Toyota dealership in Edmonton.

“I accepted a position as a receptionist, but shortly afterwards I was moved up to the accounting department due to my growing knowledge base in that area.”

“Interestingly, I also got my younger sister a job at the same dealership,” said Sjarif, “and she is still involved in the automotive industry today.”

Both women developed an interest in what was happening in the business office, as every single deal goes to the business manager and it seemed to be the place where the customers were most happy.

“When the role of the business office was explained to us we realized that its operation played a really important role in the success of the dealership,” said the young professional after a moment of reflection.

“It was evident that the goal of the business manager was to ensure that the customer was getting the best deal for their individual needs or current financial situation, so as an accountant, I found that very appealing.”

The ambitious young woman eventually left the dealership to focus all of her attention on her education. “While I went off and finished my accounting course work, my sister continued at the dealership and ended up working in the business office. She has since moved to a Chrysler dealership in the Edmonton area where she is the business manager, and is having great success. Like myself, she loves the job!”

Tired of the prospect of facing another long, cold Alberta winter, Sjarif and her husband decided to pack up their belongings and re-establish themselves in the Vancouver area.

“After moving to Vancouver I got a job at a law firm as an accounting supervisor,” said Sjarif, from the comfort of her leather perch in the dealership’s boardroom. “However, not long into my time there the firm was acquired by a larger one from Toronto, and they chose to move all the accounting jobs to their home office. At that time, I decided this would be the perfect opportunity for me to make a career change, and I still thought that I wanted to try my hand as a business manager somewhere.”

Sjarif did some research and in short order, enrolled in a one-week course training her in the operation of a business office, and on completion she would have the opportunity to do relief work in the field.

“I feel very fortunate, as I managed to find a full-time position at a Nissan dealership a month-and-a-half after completing the course,” said Sjarif, 35. “I only worked there for just over a year, but I found it very fulfilling and gained a lot of valuable experience. I loved working at the Nissan dealership, but I always knew that that position was only a stopping point, as my career goal was always to get into luxury retail.”

A mutual friend introduced her to OpenRoad’s Aly Jiwani, general manager of both Langley BMW and Porsche Centre Langley, who noted there was an opportunity in the new Porsche store’s business office.

Sjarif was confident in her abilities and knew that she was more than up to the challenge of helping set up the new business office, so the driven young executive-to-be accepted the position and has been exceeding expectations ever since.

Sjarif is open to the idea of starting a family one day, but for now she is more than happy to nurture her career.

“I must admit that I kind of see the dealership as my baby, as I was so involved in its development as it opened. I was able to establish many of the standards, policies and procedures that now make up the framework for my job, which has made it a very comfortable place for me to work. And I get to interact with such great people.”

“In fact, I am enjoying myself so much in this new environment that I hope to spend my entire career with the OpenRoad Auto Group. And that says a lot about the kind of company they have become, and I am really proud to be a part of their organization.”

]]>http://driving.ca/porsche/auto-news/news/women-at-the-wheel-dee-sjarif/feed/0Women at the Wheel profiles of three women (separately) - Dee Sjarif, Natalie Ye and Amy LirusspurcelldrivingNew Lamborghini hypercar to be unveiled in Augusthttp://driving.ca/lamborghini/auto-news/news/new-lamborghini-hypercar-to-be-unveiled-at-private-showing/http://driving.ca/lamborghini/auto-news/news/new-lamborghini-hypercar-to-be-unveiled-at-private-showing/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 16:17:38 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=215395]]>If you’re a Lamborghini collector, chances are you’re among the lucky few to be invited to the unveiling of the Italian automaker’s next ultra-exclusive hypercar during Monterey Car Week.

The rest of us? Well, we’ll just have to wait.

Motor Trend reports the next prized bull to come out of Sant’Agata Bolognese will be revealed at an invite-only showing sometime during the packed week of rallies and auctions, which runs from August 10 to 16 and culminates with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

As expected, the next Lambo hypercar is shrouded in secrecy and not much is known about it. According to Motor Trend, the new car will be limited to just 20 coupes and 10 roadsters. And, like Lamborghini’s previous low-production hypercars (see the Veneno) the price tag will probably be in the seven-figure range.

]]>http://driving.ca/lamborghini/auto-news/news/new-lamborghini-hypercar-to-be-unveiled-at-private-showing/feed/0Lamborghini Veneno RoadsterpchoipostmediaWomen at the Wheel: Sharon Rupalhttp://driving.ca/infiniti/auto-news/news/women-at-the-wheel-sharon-rupal/http://driving.ca/infiniti/auto-news/news/women-at-the-wheel-sharon-rupal/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 16:13:19 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=215145]]>VANCOUVER — OpenRoad Infiniti general manager Sharon Rupal was born and raised in Quesnel, but spent some time in the Okanagan before moving to the Fraser Valley.

The 40-year-old executive is the single mother of a soon-to-be 15-year old son who is highly anticipating getting his driver’s licence.

“When this opportunity presented itself, one of the reasons that I was drawn to it was the fact that it involved automobiles,” reflected Rupal with a smile. “My son and I both share an interest in them and when he was younger he would point out all the different makes and models as we drove around. That was something we enjoyed doing together.”

Rupal’s skill set was developed in the retail world.

“I worked at the Hudson’s Bay Company for 17 years, starting with their Zellers property when I was 15. I am so grateful for the experience I garnered while working for them, as I was able to move from banner to banner and gain a lot of valuable experience.”

“When I was approached about possibly making the move to OpenRoad, it did seem like a wonderful opportunity as I had heard some really great things about the company. That made the decision much easier and I didn’t hesitate.”

Sharon came on board as the director of human resources at OpenRoad’s head office, which allowed her to learn about the entire company and become involved in operations as well.

“Whenever it was time to make big decisions on things like which systems to introduce or which projects to develop, I got to be a part of that process. This experience made my transition to the general manager position a lot easier.”

Rupal has been with OpenRoad for almost eight years and took over the role of general manager at OpenRoad Infiniti almost a year ago.

“The industry is changing, and I have always felt that OpenRoad is a very progressive organization,” offered the busy executive after some reflection.

“Christian Chia, the CEO and president, is a true visionary, and he is always looking for best practices rather than just doing what has proven to work for the auto industry. In fact, he travels the world looking for ways to improve on how we do business.”

As the automotive industry has evolved, Rupal is convinced the dynamics of the general manager’s role have become much more interactive.

“You have to talk to your employees to know what your customers want, as they are the ones dealing with our guests every day.”

She is also a big believer in diversity.

“The conversation around the boardroom table gets better when you have a diverse mix of people to engage. We have males and females in key positions and a wide variety of different age groups are represented, which all adds up to the conversation being much richer due to the many perspectives they bring.”

One advantage the Open Road Group holds over its competition is the fact that the sheer size of the company affords the opportunity for managers to bounce things off each other.

“When we come together as general managers and brainstorm about what is working and what hasn’t worked so well, we emerge as a much stronger company. As a result, we do this often.”

Customer retention is the key to success in the automotive industry. “We want to ensure that we service our customers properly after they purchase their car. To help accomplish this we created Club Open Road, a loyalty program which allows customers to earn points through servicing with us which they will eventually be able to redeem for a discount on a future vehicle purchase at any of our dealerships.

“Purchasing a vehicle is a significant event in someone’s life and we understand that an individual’s needs change over time, so Open Road wants to be there to help meet your transportation needs for many years to come. We have the brands that allow us to accomplish this.”

Infiniti is a growing brand and is still fairly new, and Rupal is quick to recognize that there is still some work to do when it comes to branding.

“We have a multi-tiered way of marketing, but getting out to festivals and being a part of more grassroots events has helped us develop more brand awareness. For example, Open Road has a community giving program — Open Road Cares — which holds charitable events throughout the year to allow us to provide our support to bodies like the Make-a-Wish Foundation; and it is a nice way for us to connect with people in the community.”

“It is a really exciting time for the Infiniti brand,” said Rupal, “as we are introducing a couple of new entry level models — Q30 and QX30- next year that are going to attract a different segment to the dealership. It will allow us to broaden our influence in the marketplace and reach a wider range of customers.”

“It is about finding our own niche in the luxury market, a market that is growing significantly in Canada. The reality is that luxury is more attainable now, as there are more entry-level luxury vehicles available. This means you can afford to get into a luxury vehicle much sooner than in the past.”

Open Road Infiniti is a boutique retail centre housed in a smaller building that perfectly suits the company’s needs, but it also allows the staff to get to know their customers often by name.

“We opened three years ago and are proud of the fact that we have created such a friendly and comfortable environment for our guests.”

“When we have guests come in, they are not shopping for what kind of vehicle they want to purchase — as they have done their research and know exactly what they are after — but rather they are shopping to see who they want to do business with.”

Rupal believes that Infiniti appeals to people who are really into technology. “Our vehicles have a very unique look to them which makes them stand out, but they also feature everything you could ever want in a vehicle when it comes to technology and safety, so they represent a logical choice for the consumer.”

While Sharon will not admit to being a workaholic, she is happy to admit that she enjoys her job.

“I am very fortunate to work with the people I do and it makes it a pleasure to come to work each day.”

]]>http://driving.ca/infiniti/auto-news/news/women-at-the-wheel-sharon-rupal/feed/0Women at the Wheel profile of Sharon RupalrusspurcelldrivingUpcoming BMW M2 could have 370 HP, manual transmissionhttp://driving.ca/bmw/2-series/auto-news/news/upcoming-bmw-m2-could-have-370-hp-manual-transmission/http://driving.ca/bmw/2-series/auto-news/news/upcoming-bmw-m2-could-have-370-hp-manual-transmission/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 16:11:36 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=215396]]>The days of manual BMW M cars might be numbered, but there’s hope we’ll see at least one model that will make enthusiasts smile.

A recent Road and Track report suggests the upcoming BMW M2 will be powered by a turbocharged inline-six engine rated at 370 horsepower, which will be hooked up to a six-speed manual transmission by default.

The report also suggests a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission will be optional, as well as the usual BMW luxury bits – a Harman/Kardon sound system, adaptive LED headlights, a backup camera and a handful of infotainment bits.

We’ll bring you the full scoop when the M2 debuts, likely around the Frankfurt Motor Show this September.

In her hometown of Shanghai she’d embarked on a career as a high school teacher and was enjoying the challenge when her husband expressed a desire to emigrate to Canada.

“I was both nervous and excited about the move as it represented such a big change to our lives,” the now 38-year old said of the move. “But we were going to have an adventure and I have always liked a challenge.”

Unfortunately, she would need to upgrade her training if she wanted to be a teacher in Canada, so she considered some alternatives.

“It turned out that there are a lot of differences between the Chinese and Canadian education systems, and after some research I determined that if I wanted to get back in the classroom I would have to go back to school myself,” she explained. “As I was not that young, I really didn’t like the idea of being back in university at this point of my life, and especially not for a period of four or five years.”

Initially, Ye found work as a tutor for a company that provided training for executives from foreign investment firms who wanted to learn how to speak the Mandarin language.

“I enjoy teaching people, but that job didn’t intrigue me very much so I began to examine what options were available for me here in Vancouver.”

She knew that she was going to have to make a career change but was unsure what she wanted to do with her life. She decided to look for an administrative position as they seemed to be relatively abundant and would allow her to see what a company or business was all about before determining whether or not she had enough of an interest in the field to move forward and make it a career.

It turned out the automotive industry suited her, and today Ye is the dealership administrator for the three stores run by OpenRoad in the Langley area: Langley BMW, Langley Mini, and Porsche Centre Langley.

“As a dealer administrator I have a variety of responsibilities due to the fact that our parent company, the OpenRoad Auto Group, has been structured in a way that is most efficient with regards to staffing,” she explained. “What this means is we have no need for departments such as human resources, accounting, or business administration at each dealership, as these functions are handled from a central corporate office.

Instead, the company has individuals like Ye who act almost like ambassadors for these departments at the store level.

“Basically, I am an efficiency expert who is there to support the needs of the other staff at the dealership. I provide support to sales and handle payroll and human resource issues that may pop up. I enjoy the work very much as there is lots of variety and it keeps me really busy, and I like to be busy.”

Ye began her association with OpenRoad after landing an entry level administrative position as a receptionist at North Shore Acura.

“I worked at that dealership for three years and learned a lot, but when I received an offer from general manager Ali Jiwani to transfer to Langley and take on a bigger role at his three dealerships, I had to jump at the chance as we had worked so well together in the past.”

“It is much easier to do the job when you and the boss communicate so well and have a thorough understanding as to how each other operates.

“I have this with Ali and I think he recognized that our working relationship enhanced the business.”

Early on in her association with OpenRoad, Ye was quick to recognize how unique the company is as a business entity and what a special opportunity it represented to her. Under the direction of company president and CEO Christian Chia, the company strives to promote from within.

OpenRoad provides its employees with opportunities to advance and a variety of training and development programs are in place to facilitate this. For someone like Ye, who was faced with having to re-establish herself almost from square one, the reality is she couldn’t have landed in a better place.

“I am very thankful to be where I am, considering that I moved to a new country and had to change careers,” said Ye with a wide smile.

“I almost feel like the job picked me, rather than I picked this job, and I couldn’t be happier than I am now.”

]]>http://driving.ca/bmw/auto-news/news/women-at-the-wheel-natalie-ye/feed/0Women at the Wheel profiles of three women (separately) - Dee Sjarif, Natalie Ye and Amy LirusspurcelldrivingWomen at the Wheel: Monster Misshttp://driving.ca/auto-news/entertainment/women-at-the-wheel-monster-miss/http://driving.ca/auto-news/entertainment/women-at-the-wheel-monster-miss/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 16:00:21 +0000http://driving.ca/?p=211161]]>The Monster Jam Series is popular with a children and gearheads across the country, as the roar of the engines, wild designs and thrilling manoeuvres of the enormous monster trucks send fans to their feet at stadiums throughout North America.

Brianna Mahon, a rookie driver in the series from Sullivan, Illinois, is proving to be a fan favourite as the wholesome young woman pilots the Scooby-Doo themed monster truck in competition with seemingly unbridled enthusiasm.

Like many Monster Jam drivers, Mahon, 24, comes from a motocross background, a discipline she competed in for 18 years.

“I got my pro motocross license in 2010 and I was soon having some success on the circuit,” she says.” Unfortunately, I suffered a career-ending injury after being struck by another rider who was out of control. This put me out of commission for two years.”

During this down time Mahon had lots of time to think about her future.

“I had to have a couple of reconstructive surgeries and then endured a long spell of rehabilitation and recovery. I knew that I had to re-evaluate things and decide what I was going to do with my life.”

She came to the quick realization that there was one thing missing from her life that she could not live without; the feel of adrenalin rushing through her body.

“I needed to get the adrenalin rush back so I bought a sprint car and started racing. That eventually led me to monster trucks after one of the veteran drivers heard about my experience behind the wheel of a race car. Next thing you know I was asked to attend a meeting to test one out, and well, here we are today.”

In the world of motorsports the drivers tend to bring elements from a variety of disciplines that combine to create a cohesive, but very broad, skill set to the cockpit that they can draw upon when behind the wheel. In this, Mahon is no different.

“I find that my motocross background helps out a lot but so does driving the sprint car,” said the petite dynamo as she sat perched six feet above the ground atop an enormous tire. “In fact, I even take what I have learned in the monster truck back to my sprint car, which I still race over the summer months when I am not committed to Monster Jam shows.”

This was Mahon’s first season behind the wheel of the ever-popular Scooby-Doo liveried truck, or any monster truck at all for that matter, so she was in contention for the coveted Rookie of the Year title.

“I knew that I had a chance at winning the title and I made that my goal. All season long I thought that I had a good chance, but I must admit that I was still surprised when I was announced as the winner at the finals in Las Vegas. I guess all my hard work and determination paid off!”

Monster truck racing is still largely regarded as a man’s game, but during the interview Mahon was quick to bestow praise on her male counterparts and support personnel as they all made her feel welcomed and appreciated in the paddock.

“Everybody’s been so great! The crew guys are always supportive, and the other drivers are always there to help as they see my potential and I think that they really want to see women succeed in this sport.”

Mahon says she enjoys being a part of the Monster Jam community as everyone works so well together that it feels like a family.

“There is no my team, your team, his team, her team. We are all together. When it comes right down to it it’s all about the show.

“If a truck is broken down and can’t make the show, half the stadium is going to be upset because they came to see that particular truck. We all help each other so if a competitor breaks, and they need a part or assistance to get their truck back into race-ready shape the other crews step in to help get the job done. It is definitely a team effort for sure.”

Mahon comes from a racing background so by the age of two she was already piloting her own four-wheeler, snowmobile, and dirt bikes around the yard and up and down rock piles.

“I started to compete at a very young age so I was rarely at school. However, I really appreciate the value of an education so I managed to do complete my schooling while on the road and have even earned two college degrees.”

She has always been involved in motorsports of some type, and even worked at an automotive shop.

“My dad raised me to work on every vehicle that I have ever owned and I was my own mechanic during my time in motocross when he couldn’t make it,” said the talented racer with a look of pride. “While still in high school I was travelling across the country by myself in a Ford F350 cargo van which was perfect because it had room for all my dirt bikes and gear. Here I was rolling into high school in this big white panel van. Now I get to make a living driving one of the biggest trucks of all!”

Mahon sees no limits to what she can achieve behind the wheel and would like to stay with Monster Jam long term, but if for some reason it all comes to an end I have a couple of business ventures to fall back on including a hair salon.

“I don’t have my own family or children yet, so this is the prime opportunity for me to take the reins and make this a career and go as far as I can with it. The sky really is the limit.”